Buckling folding machine



Jan. 28, 1941. G. sPn-:ss

' 4BUCKLING FOLDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 28, 1941. G. sPlEss BUCKLING FOLDING MACHINE Filed Feb'. 18, 1938 4 Sh'eetS-Sheei*l 2 Jan..28, 1941. G. sPlEss BUCKLING FOLDING MACHINE Filed Feb. 18, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 56095/921055) Qanww/z/of F @a/(1% y M,

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Jan. 28, 1941.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jaa r3 5/0 2.055l gnpeyzar Patented Jan. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE Application February 18, 1938, Serial No. 191,335 In Germany October 30; 1936 Claims.

5- parallel folds to be made, of the total number of the parallel folders present, only those folders necessary for carrying out the required number of folds are used, the remaining folders being,

in theknown manner, put out of operation by the insertion of a change-over-guide into the folding plates. The rollers of these folders are, of course, also traversed by the sheets but without any folding taking place. In the known buckling folding machines with a co-operating arrangement of a plurality of parallel folders a sheet is introduced into the parallel folding system at the first folder and issues at'the last parallel folder so that the sheet must traverse all the pairs of rollers of the parallel folding system Without reference to the number of parallel creases which it receives in order to reach the place of delivery or an apparatus intended to carry out a further operation thereon. This has many disadvantages, the rst of which is that the paper is unnecessarily crushed by the treatment between the inoperative pairs of rollers and loses its natural stiffness; then a time-wasting and detailed adjustment has to be effected in connection with those folding rollers which have to be rendered Vinoperative as they must be traversed by the sheet. Finally, it has been shown that, if the sheets, on issuing from the parallel foldingv system, are, for the production of a cross break or rupture, perforated, slit or 1 grooved in the line of this rupture, the perforating-slitting-or grooving line runs inclined, probably due to the fact that the sheets, between the rollers and change-over guides, have a certain freedom of movement causing the sheet to rrun inclined with respect to the perforatingslitting-or grooving- Wheels.

It has already been proposed to provide a buckling folding machine in which a transverse forwarding frame adjacent to a plurality of sucv'cessively arranged parallel folders is adjustable in height so that it can take sheets directly not only from the last parallel folder but also from a previous one. For this purpose, an exchangeable arrangement of the last pair of folding rollers together with the pertaining fold plates, and also a swingable arrangement of the transverse forwarding frame is necessary, which is very complicated and 'necessitates a relatively heavy construction and arrangement of the apparatus.

The principal object of this invention isl to provide a folding machine in which the sheets can be fed to any desired pair of rollers on the inlet side, or taken from any desired roller pair on the outlet side without the roller system being affected thereby so that the construction of the 5 machine and the adjustability thereof is made simple.

According to this invention, I provide a buckling folding machine having a plurality of successively arranged parallel folders, wherein, with a removable arrangement of the folding plates, either the device feeding the sheet to the first folder, for example, the roller feed table, or the device further feeding it on exit from the last folder, for example, a perforating-slitting-or groovingy device are so arranged displaceable in relation to the folding rollers that, without removing the folding rollers from their working position and, if necessary, with the assistance of guide plates or the like, the sheets can be fed to any roller pair on the inlet side, or can be directly ejected from any roller pair on the discharge side of the roller system.

As many parallel folders as desired, commencing either from the feeding end of the folding system or from the outlet end of the system, can be completely put out of operation for the passage of the sheets by adjustment of, respectively, thefeed table or the device for feeding the sheet further.v The sheet feeding table can, for this purpose, be made adjustable as a Whole or can be formed with a swingable and adjustable part adjacent the folding mechanism. In the other case, the bearing frame of the adjustable device feeding the folded articles further forward can be arranged for securing to the under plate of the folding plates or for adjustably attaching to the sidewalls of the machine frame.

If multiple folded sheets are to be fed to a perforating-slitting--or grooving device, the latter is frequently not capable of working the relatively bulky folded articles because, with the hitherto usual rigid bearing of the shafts on which the tools and conveying rollers are mounted, the folded articles, are too bulky to be conveyed. The sheets are jammed in front of the conveyingrollers and are crushed.

This objection is removed, in accordance with a subsidiary feature of the invention, by means of a flexible bearing for` one shaft of the perforating-slitting--or grooving device.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I shall now describe some embodiments thereof by Way of example by reference to the accompanying drawings, inthevarious figures 615:

of which all parts not necessary for the understanding of the invention have been omitted.

This objection is removed, in accordance with a subsidiary feature of the invention, by means of a flexible bearing for one shaft of the perforating-slitting-or grooving device.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I shall now describe some embodiments thereof by way of example by reference to the accompanying drawings, in the various figures of which al1 parts not necessary for the understanding of the invention have been omitted.

Figs. 1-3 are diagrammatic views of a feed table adjustable as a whole in three different positions,

Figs. 4-6 are similar views of a modification showing -a fixed feeding table in which only the end adjacent the parallel folders is adjustable.

Figs. 7-9 similar views of a further modification in which an adjustable outlet device `or scratching-grooving-or perforating device is provided, the carrying frame of which is secured to the underside of the folding plates.

Figs. 10 and 11 are views of a similar arrangement to that shown in Figs. 7-9, the carrying frame of the adjustable device being, however,

secured to the side walls of the machine frame and the bearing of the roller shaft being exible, and

Figs. 12 and 13 are a side View and a pl-an view respectively of Fig. 10.

Referring rst to Figs. 1-3, of the drawings:

I indicates the rollers and 2 the folding plates of a known type of multiple parallel buckling folding device. The inclined roller feed table 3 serving for the feeding of the sheet into the folding mechanism, is adjustably arranged in any known manner which it is not necessary more fully to describe, such that its end, abutting on the rollers, can be brought to the level of the feed space of the draw-in rollers of the first, third or iifth parallel folder. For this purpose, the other or remote end of the feed table is pivoted by means of a link member 4 to the vertically adjustable support 5 of the feed table and the end of the feed table. Facing the rollers, is fixable in the adjusted position corresponding to the different folders by means of any suitable devices, for example, screws arranged on the machine frame. By suitable adjustment of the link member 4 and if necessary of the support 5, the delivery end of the roller feed table can, as Figs. 1-3 show, be brought into the position opposite any draw-in roller pair of the various parallel folders disposed on the table side, necessary for the feeding of the sheets thereto. Thus, for example, the end of the roller table 3 can be moved through an arc around the bolt of the support 5. If the table is to be moved from the position shown in Fig. 1 vto that shown in Fig. 2, then, after releasing the locking means (not shown in the drawings), the end of the table adjacent the folding mechanism is moved around the rst folding roller throughy an arc which is open towards the right, that is to say, is moved rearwardly, downwardly and then forwardly into the position shown in Fig. 2 and is secured in this position by bolts (not shown) with respect to the lateral frame walls. 'I'he support 5 is at the same time moved vertically downward a certain amount, as shown in Fig. 2. The adjusting movement of the table is made possible by the link-like connection of the opposite end of the table with the support 5. On the outside of the last folding roller pair IV is provided a known perforating-slitting-or grooving device which consists of conveying rollers or slitting-grooving-or perforating wheels which are secured on shafts 6 and 1. From the perforating-slittingor grooving device the sheet passes over a guide plate 8 on to a transverse feeding table, consisting, for example, of inclined feeding rollers 9, which feeds the sheet, for example, to a cross folder.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 4-6, the feed table I0 is fixed and is provided with a swingable part II facing the folding rollers which part II is adjustable on bolts I2 and is fixable by means of an adjusting segment I3, arranged on the swingable part, which is slidable in a guide I4 arranged on the fixed table part I0 and can be locked in any predetermined position by adjusting bolts I5. By adjustment of the swingable table part II, the table can be adjusted for feeding the sheet into the draw-in roller pair of the first, third or fifth parallel folder. essary to secure to the table end a guide plate I6 conforming in length to the distance of the table from the rollers in question.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 7-9, the feed It is only nectable I1 is not made adjustable and, instead, the

perforating device is arranged adjustable with respectto the parallel folding mechanism. For this purpose, the shafts 6 and 1 of the perforatingslitting-or grooving device are carried in a frame I8 which, by means of a carrier I9, isl selcured in any suitable manner, for example, by means of screws, on the underside of the last folding plate 2 to be used on the outlet side. The shafts Gand 1 are driven in either direction from the pinion of the adjacent folding roller. For guiding the folded articles out of the folding rollers I, intoy the perforating-slitting-or grooving device, a plate 20 is provided, which can be securely connected with the carrying frame or fastened independently of the latter in any suitable manner, for example, to the main frame of ther machine.

As, on the adjustment of the perforating-slit- Y together or drawn out, is provided, which is indicated in two Vdifferent positions of adjustment in Figs. '7 and 8. v

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 10-13, the bearing plates 23, in which are carried the axles 24, 2 5' of the perforating-slitting-or grooving discs, are so arranged displaceable on the frame walls 26 of the folding machine, that the sheet can be fed from the delivery roller pair of any one folded by means of the guide plate 21 between the rollers 28 and 29'on the shafts of the perforating--slitting-or grooving device.` The bearings 30 of one shaft 25 of the said device are displaceably carried in a vertical guide slot 3| of the carrying plate 23 and stand under the pressure of two-armed levers 33 swingably carried at 32 which levers are themselves controlled by the pressure of springs 34. A nut 35 serves for reguvlating the spring tension whilst the adjusting nuts Fig. 10 shows by way of example an adjustable bearing regulatable, and, in relation to the pressure, for a folding roller. The same arrangement may advantageously be provided for each folding roller.

I claim:

1. In a buckling folding machine, a series of pairs of folding rollers, each pair below the top pair being offset laterally and downwardly with respect to the next pair above, pairs of folding plates removably supported in parallel inclined positions with respect to the rollers to receive sheets from two adjacent rollers and return sheets to position to pass between one of the two rollers and a third roller, feed means movable with respect to the series of rolls to feed sheets directly to a selected pair of rollers, delivery means to receive and feed off sheets from a second selected pair of rollers, and means to support at least one of said feed and delivery means in selective relationship to said pairs of rollers.

2. In a buckling folding machine, a series of pairs of folding rollers, each pair below the top pair being offset laterally and downwardly with respect to the next pair above, pairs of folding plates removably supported in parallel inclined positions with respect to the rollers to -receive sheets from two adjacent rollers and return sheets to position to pass between one of the two rollers and a third roller, feed means movable with respect to the series of rolls to feed sheets directly to a selected pair of rollers, delivery means to receive and feed off sheets from a second selected pair of rollers, and means to support at least one of the said feed and delivery means in selective relationship to said pairs of rollers, said feed means including a tilting feed table provided with feed rollers and pivoted at the end remote from said folding rollers for swinging movement of the end adjacent said folding rollers to bring the latter into feeding position with respect to a selected pair of folding rollers.

3. In a buckling folding machine, a series of pairs of folding rollers, each pair below the top pair being offset laterally and downwardly with respect to the next pair above, pairs of folding plates removably supported in parallel inclined positions with respect to the rollers to receive sheets from two adjacent rollers and return sheets to position to pass between one of the two rollers and a third roller, feed means movable with respect to the series of rolls to feed sheets directly to a selected pair of rollers, delivery means to receive and feed off sheets from a second selected pair of rollers, and means to support at least one of said feed and delivery means in selective relationship to said pairs of rollers, said feed means including a tilting feed table provided with feed rollers and pivoted at the end remote from said folding rollers for swinging movement of the end adjacent said folding rollers to bring the latter into feeding position with respect to a selected pair of folding rollers, said feed means further including a fixed feeding table whereto the outer end of the tilting table is secured.

4. In a buckling folding machine, a series of pairs of foldling rollers, each pair below the top pair being offset laterally and downwardly with respect to the next pair above, pairs of folding plates removably supported in parallel inclined positions with respect to the rollers to receive sheets from two adjacent rollers and return sheets to position to pass between one of the two rollers and a third roller, feed means movable with respect to the series of rolls to feed sheets directly to a selected pair of rollers, delivery means to receive and feed off sheets from a second selected pair of rollers, means to support at least one of said feed and delivery means in selective relationship to said pairs of rollers, said feed means including a tilting feed table provided with feed rollers and pivoted at the end remote from said folding rollers for swinging movement of the end adjacent said folding rollers to bring the latter into feeding position with respect to a selected pair of folding rollers, said feed means further including a fixed feeding table whereto the outer end of the tilting table is secured, and coacting means on the xed and tilting tables holding said tables in angular adjustment. v

5. In a buckling folding machine, a series of pairs of folding rollers, each pair below the top pair being offset laterally and downwardly with respect to the next pair above, pairs of folding plates removably supported in parallel inclined positions with respect to the rollers to receive sheets from two adjacent rollers and return sheets to position to pass between one of the two rollers and a third roller, feed means movable with respect to the series of rolls to feed sheets directly to a selected pair of rollers, delivery means to receive and feed off sheets from a second selected pair of rollers, means to support at least one of said feed and delivery means in selective relationship to said pairs of rollers, and guide plates interposed between a selected pair of rollers and said feed and delivery means.

GEORG- SPIESS. 

